Pump



W.,L. NIES March 8, 1949.

PUMP

Filed Feb. 7, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1' ;VIAIIII INVENTOR. BY M65 Maw fja ZPatented Mar. 8, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PUMP William L. Nies,Wheaton, 111.

Application February 7, 1945, Serial No. 576,629

Claims.

The present invention relates to pumps, and more particularly to adouble acting pump having a high efliciency.

In deep well water pumps the conventional types are of relatively smallcapacity and are of such construction as to require frequent repair andreplacement of certain parts such as packings and valves. Often times adeep well does not have a straight wall thus complicating theinstallation of a pump. It, therefore, would be desirable for deepwells, particularly water wells, to provide a pump which is simple inconstruction and installation, and which requires a minimum amount ofmaintenance.

In accordance with the present invention a pump, particularly adaptedfor deep wells for pumping water, oil and the like is provided whichutilizes a plurality of bellows and which is double acting so as toprovide a high degree of efficiency. The pump is fluid or liquidactuated by two conduits operating to supply alternate power. The twocolumns of propulsion liquid are balanced and the volume displaced bythe pumping bellows is relatively small thereby minimizing the inertialosses. Such pump does not require attachment to the Well wall nor doesit have the high parasitic loss characteristic as in the plunger typepump. does not require high hydraulic pressures of the circulatinglosses of a jet type pump. It may be set at a greater depth than pumpsof the types mentioned and is more readily installed or removed from thewell since the connections may comprise semi-rigid tubing.

It, therefore, is an object of the present invention to provide animproved double acting pump particularly adapted for use in wells.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improveddouble acting pump of the bellows type.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedbellows type pump which does not require connection to the well tubingnor involve rigid mechanical conection between the top and bottom of thewell.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a pumpstructure which is readily installed or removed from a well and which isparticularly adapted for deep well operation.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedbellows type pump characterized by simplicity of construction andinstallation, a high operating efficiency, and a minimum amount ofmaintainance and repair.

Other and further objects of the present in- Such pump furthermorevention subsequently will become apparent by reference to the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawing whereinFigure 1 is a diagrammatic cross sectional view illustrating theconstruction of a pump in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 schematically illustrates the prime mover or power supply forthe pump mechanism shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 asseen in the direction of the arrows along the line 3-3;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view of a diagrammatic representation ofanother embodiment of a pump constructed in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention;

Figure 5 is a view of a portion of the pump mechanism shown in Figure 4as seen in the direction of the arrows along the line 55;

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view of another diagrammaticrepresentation of another pump embodiment utilizing the principles ofthe present invention;

Figure '7 is a view of a portion of the pump mechanism shown in Figure 6as seen in the direction of the arrows along the line 1-1; and

Figure 8 is a cross sectional view of a further modification of thepresent invention which is more particularly adapted for use withshallow pumps.

Referring to Figure 1 there is shown a well casing l0 which may beassumed to be adjacent the lower extremity of a relatively deep well.Within the casing in there is a housing [2 which contains a pumpstructure embodying the present invention. The housing l2 which issubmerged be low the level of the liquid, oil or water, in the well hastwo inlets M and 16 each provided with suitable valve means and 20diagrammatically illustrated as being of the flutter type construction.Any simple type of valve means may be employed, it being preferable touse a relatively simple type structure which will require a minimum ofmaintenan-ce and repair.

The housing I2 also has two outlets 22 and 24 provided with suitablevalve means 26 and 28. The outlets 22 and 24 are connected to a commonconduit 30 through which the fluid is to be forced to the top of thewell. The housing I2 has a bellows 32 so arranged as to provide thehousing into two chambers 34 and 36. Therefore the chamber 34 isprovided with the inlet I6 and the outlet 22 whereas the chamber 36 isprovided with the inlet l4 and the outlet 24.

The bellows 32 is arranged to be actuated by two oppositely arrangedcoaxial bellows 38 and 40 connected to conduits 42 and 44 respectively.The oppositely arranged bellows 33 and 40 are mechanically connected tothe bellows 32 so that the movement of the bellows 38 and 40 producesmovement of the bellows 32. The bellows in Figure l are shown in a stateof equilibrium when no pumping action is occurring, or when the bellows38 and 40 are midway between their extreme positions.

The bellows 38 and 40 connected with the conduits 42 and 44 arehydraulically actuated by the liquid within the conduits which iscompressed and released by a suitable prime mover or pumping mechanismschematically illustrated Figure 2. From this figure it may be assumedthat the conduit 44 is connected to a cylinder or bellows 43 which atthe moment is being compressed or reduced in volume while at the sametime the conduit 42 is connected to a cylinder or bellows 43, the volumeof which is being increased. Thus the flow of liquid through theconduits 44 and 42 is such that the flow in thefirst conduit is downwardand in the second conduit is upward. Thus it may be assumed that thebellows 40 isexpanding and the bellows 38 of Figure 1 is contracting.

This, therefore, brings about a contraction of the bellows 32 so thatthe pressure applied to the liquid within the bellows closes the flapvalve 20 and opens the valve 26 so that the liquid therein is forcedupwardly through the conduit 30. At the same time that the internalvolume of the bellows 32 is being reduced thereby reducing the size ofthe chamber 34, the size of the chamber 36 is being increased so thatthe valve 28 is closed, and the valve i8 is open. Due to the increase inthe volume ofthe chamber 36, the liquid from within the well casing i isbeing drawn into this chamber so that when the flow of hydraulic powerin the bellows 38 and 40 is reversed, the liquid then in the chamber 36will be forced upwardly through the outlet 24 into the conduit 38. Whenthis occurs, the volume of the chamber 34 will be increasing while. thevolume in the chamber 36 is decreasing. The increase in the volume ofthe chamber 34 causes the valve 26 to close and the valve 20 to openthereby again filling the chamber 34 with more liquid from within thewell.

The arrangement thus far described does not utilize any piston orpacking material nor is there any other delicate machinery in thewellwhich might require frequent repair or maintenance. An arrangementsuch as shown in Figure 1 may be used in a well of relatively smalldiameter since the dimensions of the casing l2 and the componentstherein may be varied accordingly. A relatively high efficiency ofoperation is obtained since the liquids contained within the conduits 42and 44 and the bellows 38 and 4B are equal and in balance so that allthe energy supplied by the pumping mechanism at the top of the well,schematically illustrated in.

Figure 2, is devoted to useful work as the only losses are the slightlosses due to the alternating flow of the transmission fluids in theconduits panded bellows is recovered to a substantial de-- greeas is thecase in a spring. The arrangement ,shown will operate against high pres-4 sures without loss of capacity or efiiciency since there is notheoretical limit to the depth at which it may operate dependent uponthe limit of the strength of the materials. A pump of this sort havingno leathers or other materials of organic origin does not requireappreciable maintenance since the only wearing parts are the inlet andoutlet valves. A semi-rigid tubing such as seamless copper, steel, orplastic tubing may be used for the conduits 30, 4'2, and 44 thuspermitting'easy installation or removal from the well and installationin wells which are not straight. No attachment to the well wall isrequired and the operating machinery need not be placed over the well.The pump requires no priming, and the propulsion systems may be filledwith a non-freezing liquid for use in cold climates. In such instancesthe discharge conduit 33 may be insulated or otherwise suitablyprotected.

A further embodiment of the principles of the present invention isdiscloced in Figure 4 where in the outer casing 50 is divided into twochambers 52 and 54 by a bellows 56. The bellows is shown attached to anapertured support or wall 58 arranged transversely of the casing 50. Thechamber 52 is provided with an inlet 63 and a cooperating valvestructure 62. The chamber 52 is connected through a conduit 64 to anoutlet 65 having a cooperating valve mechanism 38. The outlet 33 isassociated with a common conduit 10 through which liquid is to besupplied to the top of the well. The chamber 54 is provided with aninlet 12 having a cooperating valve member l4, and an outlet I6 havingacooperating valve member 78. The bellows 56 is connected to a rod andframe which, asmay be seen from Figure 5; engages opposite extremitiesof a pair of bellows 82 and 84. Adjacent ends of the bellows 82 and 1 34are secured to a cross member 83 extending between the side walls of acasing 50. The cross member 86 contains two conduits 88 and 90respectively connected to the bellows 82 and, 84. The conduits 88andilfl extend to the top of the well where they are connected to asuitable reciprocating pump or prime mover to alternately supply liquidunder compression to one of the bellows. Thus when one of the bellows 82is expanded, the other bellows 84 is contracted thereby moving thepumping bellows 56; This movement of bellows 56 reduces or changes thecapacity of the chamber 52' and changes the capacity of the chamber 54,thereby to bring about. a pumping action of liquid similar to the pump.ing action described in connection with the embodiment in Figure 1.

It may be assumed that the conduit 38 is sup' plying liquid underpressure thereby causing the bellows 82 to become expanded so thatthe-volume of the chamber 54 is increasing thus bringing; about aclosing of the valve. 18 and an opening of the valve 14 so as to admitliquid from the At the same time the well to this chamber. chamber 52 isdecreasing in volume thereby closing the valve 82 and opening the valveto bringing:

about a fiow of liquid through the conduits 64 and 76 to the top of thewell.

When the other bellows 84 is expanding the:

valve 14 is closed and the valvelB, isopened, and at the same time thevalve 62 is opened and the is forcing its liquid upwardly to thetop oftheawelh The arrangement shownin Figured: provides for:

agreater displacement for a given linear motion of the end of thebellows 56 as compared to a similar motion of the bellows 32 of Figure1.

A further arrangement of the present invention is shown in Figure 6wherein the outer casing 92 is divided into two chambers 94 and (It by abellows S8. The bellows 93 is supported from a cross member or aperturedpartition I08 extending transversely of the housing 92. The chamber 94has an inlet I02 and an outlet I84 interconnected by a pipe IE6. Theoutlet I94 is connected to an upwardly extending conduit I08. The otherchamber 96 has an inlet He and an outlet H2. Extending between thetransverse apertured wall Hi8 and one end of the casing 92 is a pair ofbellows H4 and H6 connected to a stirrup frame H8 at their commonjuncture. The stirrup frame H8 is connected to one end of the bellows98. The bellows H4 is connected to a power conduit I and the otherbellows H6 is connected to another power conduit I22. The conduits I29and I22 are connected to the prime mover source which suppliesalternating fluid power to the two bellows to bring about a doubleaction motion to the bellows 98 so that a relatively constant stream ofliquid is pumped from the well up to the top of the well by the conduitI08.

Where the requirements of the deep well operation are not to be met, apump structure such as that shown in Figure 8 may be utilized. Thisstructure involves a casing I24 having an inlet conduit I25 and anoutlet conduit I28. The inlet conduit I26 has two valved openings I30and I32 connected to two chambers I34 and I36 respectively. The chambersI34 and I36 are formed by a bellows member I38. The bellows I38 isconnected to a coaxial bellows I40 arranged to provide a suitablemechanical connection to the common end plate I42 for both of thebellows. The common end plate I42 is connected by a suitable link orlever I44 to a source of power for actuating the bellows I38. Since thebellows I38 divides the housing I 24 into two chambers I34 and I33respectively, and one chamber is increased in size while the otherchamber is being decreased in size, the pump shown in Figure 8 providesa relatively simple easy to manufacture double acting pump. It providespositive displacement without the use of a stuffing box or pistonpacking. It comprises a closed system thereby eliminating thepossibility of leaks.

While for the purpose of illustrating and describing the presentinvention certain embodiments have been shown in the drawings, it is tobe understood that the invention is not to be limited thereby since thevarious embodiments are intended to disclose the variations intended asis also indicated by the scope of the following claims.

The present invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A fluid actuated pump for liquid comprising a housing, a pair ofcoaxially arranged bellows mounted in said housing, said bellows eachconnected to a conduit for alternately receiving fluid power, a thirdcoaxially arranged bellows arranged concentric to one of said firstbellows and connected so as to be actuated by said pair of bellows, saidthird bellows separating said housing into two chambers, inlet valves,one for each of said chambers, and outlet valves, one for each of saidchambers, said inlet valves being associated with a source of fluid andsaid outlet valves being connected to an output conduit.

2. A fluid actuated pump adapted to be located in a well comprising ahousing, a pair of coaxial oppositely arranged bellows in said housingeach of said bellows connected to a separate conduit for alternatelyreceiving liquid power, a third coaxially arranged metal bellowsarranged concentric to one of said first bellows and mechanicallyconnected to said pair of bellows so as to be actuated thereby, saidthird bellows being mounted in said housing so as to separate saidhousing into two chambers, inlet valves, one for each of said chambersand outlet valves, one for each of said chambers, said inlet valvesbeing associated with a source of fluid, said outlet valves beingconnected to an output conduit.

3. The combination comprising a source of power, means controlled bysaid source of power for alternately supplying energy through a pair offluid conduits, a remotely located fluid actuated pump connected to saidconduits, said pump comprising a housing having mounted therein abellows arranged to divide said housing into two chambers, each chamberbeing provided with an inlet valve and an outlet valve, said inletvalves being associated with a source of liquid to be pumped, saidoutlet valves being connected to an output conduit, a pair of coaxiallyarranged oppositely positioned metal bellows members mounted within saidhousing and connected to said first bellows, each of said pair ofbellows being connected to a different one of said first mentionedconduits, and one of said pair of bellows being arranged concentric tosaid first bellows.

4. A double acting pump unit for a well comprising a housing adapted tobe positioned adjacent the bottom of the well, a metal bellows membermounted within said housing to form two chambers, each chamber beingprovided with an inlet valve for liquid from said well, each chamberbeing provided with an outlet valve, a common output pipe for saidoutlet valves, said output pipe being arranged to extend to the top ofthe well, a pair of coaxially arranged bellows each having one endthereof mounted fixedly relative to said housing, a hydraulic fluidconduit for each of said bellows adapted to extend upwardly to the topof the well for connection to a source of alternating hydraulic power,and a stirrup interconnecting the other end of each of said bellows withone end of said first mentioned bellows.

5. A double acting pump adapted to be submerged in a liquid comprising ahousing, a bellows member mounted in said housing so as to separate saidhousing into two chambers, inlet valves, one for each of said chambers,and outlet valves, one for each of said chambers, said inlet valvesbeing connected to a source of liquid, said outlet Valves beingconnected to a common output pipe, a source of reciprocating powerconnected to said bellows, said source of reciprocating power includingtwo similar oppositely arranged bellows mounted in said housingcoaxially with said first bellows and connected thereto, said firstbellows arranged so as to be concentric with one of said oppositelyarranged bellows, and external means for alternately expanding and comtracting said oppositely arranged bellows.

WILLIAM L. NIES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 526,772 France 1921 796,685 France1936

